A recent trip to England with a group of 24 Golfweek’s Best course raters led to demonstrable conclusion, in the form of a statement and a question: “English golf is so much better. Where did we go wrong in the U.S.?”
We played eight of the top courses in Europe in six days. The courses were great, and the experience was eye-opening. So many of the bedrocks of golf in Great Britain and Ireland are different than in the States.
It’s a quicker game on that side of the pond, played on foot. Forget stroke play, and focus on your match. Yardage and par – forget those, not important. It’s a local game, inclusive and communal. Take your dog.
Our trip included eight courses: Littlestone, Rye, Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports, Walton Heath, Sunningdale’s Old and New courses, and Swinley Forest. The days were packed with golf shots, golf holes and banter that left an impression. On the heels of the trip, here are 10 lessons we could learn from golf in the United Kingdom.
In Great Britain and Ireland, golfers walk. There are no buggies outside of one or two for medical needs. The walking culture has numerous benefits.
- Faster pace of play
- Healthier players, with many walking into their 80s and even 90s
- Community and camaraderie on the course
- Numerous caddie programs
- No cart paths
- Courses with short green-to-tee walks, and fewer development-based cart courses
Golfers play in 3:30 or less. Almost everywhere. In many instances golfers play in under three hours, and foursomes matches can be played in two hours. This allows for more golf and more free time. The courses help pace of play by being easily walkable, with most courses 5,500-6,500 yards max.
Several players and the group’s caddies walk one way to tee off while another player walks down the fairway to wait for tee shots to land in a foursomes match at Royal Cinque Ports. The four players completed the match in 2:30 in this expedited format that skips much of golf’s waiting around. (Golfweek)
Golfers play matches. More often than not, you play against your playing partners as opposed to stroke play. It is quite common for afternoons or certain days of the week to be reserved for foursomes (alternate-shot) matches, an experience that is fast and fun. Playing matches instead of stroke play adds to the social aspects of the game, improves pace of play and heightens the sense of adventure. Golf is more fun when your triple bogey wins the hole versus ruining the round.
The golf courses are not bound by yardage and par norms. Many courses in the UK, including some of the best in the world, are under par 70 and less than 6,000 yards. When golf courses are not forced into yardage and par norms, they can fit the land better and yield a better collection of holes. This also leads to faster pace of play and greater golfer satisfaction due to a lower score.
One of the group’s caddies (left) at Royal St. George’s has played the course for decades as an artisan member. (Golfweek)
Many of the more famous clubs have “artisan” members, usually locals who caddie at the club or contribute in other ways. They are offered access to play the course at reduced rates. This approach makes the club feel much more inclusive and builds a better sense of community. It is also a wonderful way to build a youth feeder system to the club.
The golf courses focus their maintenance on what is important and don’t waste money on things that aren’t. The playable areas are maintained to high standards, and out-of-play areas are natural. Some courses don’t have fairway irrigation, and others utilize simple ditches instead of elaborate and expensive drainage systems. The turf at many of the courses is excellent if not quite as perfect or fast as at clubs in the U.S. Having turf that is 90 percent as good may reduce the budget by 50 percent. UK courses don’t waste money edging cart paths.
Non-golfers are often free to roam through the golf courses, even at elite private clubs. This may not be possible in the U.S. because of our litigious society and land-use laws, but the right to roam is a wonderful concept. Watching locals wander across the course adds to the golf experience and makes the course (even a private club) a valuable community green space. Adopting this approach would help golf become more accepted and embraced in communities in the States.
Non-member access at many private clubs, even most of the famous ones, is far easier to obtain than in the U.S., and guests are welcomed warmly. Guest play provides meaningful revenue, keeping costs down for members. This approach makes the game more inclusive and aspirational for a wider audience.
The Golfweek’s Best rater group loved the lunch experience at Swinley Forest. (Golfweek)
The clubs serve lunch regularly, and dinner rarely. This approach makes staffing easier and allows for a more efficient food-and-beverage operation. The experience of playing golf followed by a formal lunch, then an afternoon foursomes match, makes for an ideal day.
A foursome of dogs accompanied golfers off the 18th green at Swinley Forest. The patio full of members and guests lit up as the furry friends approached. (Golfweek)
Dogs are part of golf, accompanying players almost like a caddy. Sometimes each player in a foursome has their dog with them. A group may include a terrier, a bulldog, a retriever and a pointer. Everyone lights up when they see a dog on the course – they increase social interaction, reduce stress and add joy. Everyone has a better time when a dog is part of the picture.